


When the Pup Grows Up

by ShitpostingfromtheBarricade



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Gardens, Gen, Is it a statement? Is it a fluff piece?, Jehan PoV, Kid Fic, Kinda?, communal living, it's not my problem anymore, not related to Barricade Day, up to you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShitpostingfromtheBarricade/pseuds/ShitpostingfromtheBarricade
Summary: With school closed and the world in flux, Jehan teaches Gavroche about pruning.Warnings:none
Relationships: Gavroche Thénardier & Jean "Jehan" Prouvaire
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	When the Pup Grows Up

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd and inspired by my own garden, because I am a fool and was overzealous in my planting.

“Why are you pulling up the plants like that? Doesn’t it kill them?”

It’s the first thing Gavroche has said since coming out to the garden with Jehan this morning. School has been closed for weeks now, and their household has collectively taken it upon themselves to look after the nine year-old and keep them occupied as the world continues to move around their household at its new and stuttering pace. Jehan can’t say with any sort of certainty how Gavroche has felt about their early gardening adventures: they’re usually still too bleary-eyed to do much more than help with the watering while Jehan checks for signs of parasites or weeds.

“It does,” Jehan tells them with a sad smile, “but look at how they’ve grown.” Verdant basil leaves are brushed to the side to reveal a forest of pale stalks and still more shoots and sprouts pushing their way up. “They’re too close together, you see? When I’d planted them—” Scattered them, really, with the reckless abandon that the recommendation of barely covering the seeds with dirt often offers. “—I didn’t know how many would be eaten or not like the conditions or simply wouldn’t sprout, and now there are too many.

“Plants are like people: they need room to grow. If we watched over you all the time and never let you make your own mistakes, you wouldn’t have the chance to grow into a critically-thinking grown-up. You’d end up strangled, just like these are starting to. 

“You also need tending to, though: someone needs to make sure you’re getting enough sunlight and nutrients and that you’re not getting root rot or eaten up by mites.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m getting root rot in this house,” Gavroche grumbles.

“We’re simply isolating you from a known infestation.” 

The sigh that sounds in response is the sigh of someone who has heard this explanation many times and continually finds it lacking. “So you have to pick the plants because they did better than you expected?”

“Exactly,” beams Jehan.

“Well that’s stupid.”

Another child might have looked up after that, wary of reprimand, and perhaps Gavroche would as well were they with another adult from the house; as is, they remain firm in their statement, and Jehan feels only curiosity. “What makes you say that?”

“You chose to take care of them. You didn’t plant them by accident, you very intentionally and knowingly took on that responsibility.” There’s accusation in their voice, but it is neither angry nor incorrect. “You should have planned for this to happen then. There should have been measures in place to take care of all of them if they came in. You shouldn't _plan_ for casualties,” they sniff, crossing their arms. "It's your responsibility as their caretaker to be prepared for them to succeed.”

Jehan hums. It’s the sort of thing Gavroche has been saying more and more frequently since they and their sisters moved in. Enjolras’s influence is obvious, but Éponine’s firmness and Feuilly’s practical thinking are clearly evident as well. “What do you think I should have done, then?”

“Plant them as far apart as they need from the beginning. Start them in their own containers if you have to—we probably have some of Uncle Baz's yogurt cups left over from before we began making our own, and we still have tons of egg cartons in the attic. Just move them when they get big enough."

Nodding thoughtfully, Jehan stands and wipes the dirt on eir hands off on eir gardening apron. “Well, it just so happens that I have some seeds that are best planted later into the growing season. Why don’t you get some of those cartons from the storage closet—three or four of them—while I get the packets? Then after you can pick out a plot for us to move them to once they start growing.”

Gavroche’s eyes dart up to em as if surprised to have been listened to before nodding, uncrossing their arms, and dashing into the house. 

Jehan makes eir way in at a significantly more relaxed pace, carefully stepping out of eir gardening crocs before opening the back door into the kitchen and getting into the seed cabinet. Most of the planting ey’d intended on doing had been finished over Ostana, but ey’re certain there are some seeds that will manage just fine in the mild May weather they’ve been having.

“Hey, Jehan, you have any idea why Gav just tore through here shouting something about eggs?” Her eyes narrow. “Did you put him off eggs? Because you know I don’t know any vegan recipes, and—” 

“Gav’s gonna be good, y’know?” Jehan tells her, rooting through the cabinet. Sunflowers are good, Gavroche would like those. Maybe some additions to the bee garden? Poppies, cornflowers, scabious…they could build a bee hotel and watering hole, too. Gavroche could look after them as local bee mayor and make sure that the needs of the citizens are met—they’d certainly be good at it. “They’ll be great, but they’ll be good, too.”

Éponine gives em a wary look before nodding, giving her coffee a stir before putting away the milk. “Yeah. Yeah, he will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Éponine was not misgendering Gav, he's cool with all pronouns. Ép mostly sticks with he/him because it's easier to differentiate when she's talking about her siblings.
> 
> I technically have a Barricade Day fic that I wrote back in February, but given current events I'm holding off on uploading it until a later date. 
> 
> If you like this, please let me know in the comments, or you can swing by my [tumblr](http://shitpostingfromthebarricade.tumblr.com)!! I am also [offering fics for the Bishop Myriel Fundraiser](https://shitpostingfromthebarricade.tumblr.com/post/620108892198879232/after-much-deliberation-i-have-decided-to-throw), so if you enjoy my work and want to support organizations dedicated to the ongoing BLM movement consider checking that out!


End file.
